This invention relates to a game stick that used for playing a game similar to ice hockey. More specifically, it relates to a ball-handling device for rolling and passing (throwing) a spherical ball and a ball to be used therewith.
The game of hockey is a well known team sport that is played around the world with a hockey stick and a hard rubber cylindrical puck.
A hockey stick can be made of wood, fiber glass, polymer or other materials and includes a generally flat, perhaps slightly curved, blade on the end of an elongate shaft that extends from the blade at an angle of between about 40 and 60 degrees.
The length of the shaft may be prescribed by the rules of the game, as is the case in hockey, but is largely a matter of preference of the player. In hockey, the rules limit the overall length of a hockey stick to 60 inches or less, and that rule can be applied to the game stick of the present invention if desired.
In ice hockey, the blade is used for handling, i.e., controlling the movement of, a puck as a player skates on the ice. More specifically, the hockey stick is used to move and maneuver the puck along the ice, pass the puck to teammates, stop and control the puck when passed by another player, take possession of the puck away from a player on the opposing team, intercept the puck when a pass is attempted between players, and throw or hit the puck toward a team mate or the net to score a goal.
Variations on the game of ice hockey have evolved. One variation of ice hockey replaces the puck with a spherical ball and the game is played on a rink defined by a flat surface with the players using skates. Also, the game can also be played on a dry surface where the players can either use roller-type skates or run. The game of hockey played on a dry surface rink is sometimes referred to as street hockey. The present invention relates to a game stick and ball that can be used in a dry surface rink variation of hockey.
As used throughout this application, the word equator means “a circle dividing the surface of a spherical body into two usually equal and symmetrical parts and does not imply or require any specific orientation of such circle with respect to any external reference point.” However, the term “upper hemisphere” means “the hemisphere of a spherical body that is a generally Northerly extending hemisphere.”
U.S. Design Pat. No. 246,006, issued Oct. 4, 1977 to Burr, et al. entitled Ball Rolling Game Stick includes an ornamental design for ball rolling device that comprises a circular toroidal ring mounted at angle on a stick or shaft. The shaft allows the player to assume a comfortable attitude while using the game stick and rolling the ball. The inner surface of the toroidal ring is circular. Although not described in the design patent, the apparent purpose of the ring is to provide control over the movement of a rolling ball that is being propelled by movement of the ring.
Nothing is shown in the Burr design patent regarding the diameter of either the toroidal ring or the ball that is used with the device. However, it appears that the ball could be of any diameter less than the diameter of the opening defined by the circular torus. Also, apparently the ball would be rolled by holding the axis of the circular opening generally perpendicular to the playing surface or the earth and applying a lateral force at the point of contact between the toroidal ring and the ball.
Free rolling of the ball would probably be best accomplished if the contact between the ring and the ball were at or very near the equator of the ball.
Hence, in the Burr patent, the toroidal ring should contact the ball at or near the equator of the ball to keep the ball rolling freely on the game surface. This would require that the device be held at a substantially constant altitude above the playing surface.
It would require substantial skill to control the altitude of the ring within such a narrow range especially while a player is skating or running. Also, the need to keep the ring above the playing surface would deprive the player of the ability to use the device for additional stability during skating, turning and stopping while maintaining control over the movement of the ball.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 340,752 issued Oct. 26, 1993 to Flynn, et al. entitled Stick For Throwing a Ball is an ornamental design for an annular ring that is flattened on the bottom and mounted at an angle on a shaft. As with U.S. Design Pat. No. 246,006, there is no description in Flynn et al. of the intended use or function of the stick. From the title, it is apparently intended for use with a ball having a diameter larger than the diameter of the annular ring. It appears that the stick is used to gain leverage in throwing a ball placed on the annular ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,693 issued Jan. 11, 1966 to Ingebo entitled Ball Handling Implement discloses a pusher device for rolling a bowling ball. The device is attached to a handle or stick and has a pair of low friction rollers located on the lateral sides of the device at or near the equator of the bowling ball. These rollers facilitate rolling of the ball about a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the shaft. A ring member is provided to enclose the ball and prevent it from leaving the pusher device unless released by the pusher. The ring can be lifted to release the ball to allow the bowl to roll free of control of the pusher device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,283 issued Dec. 26, 1995 to Hoblit entitled Bowling ball propulsion devices shows a pushing device for a bowling ball. The pushing device has a shaft attached to a floor engaging U-shaped frame. The frame has low friction pads located to engage the bowling ball on the equator at a rearmost location and two lateral side locations. The low friction contact points with the bowling ball allow the ball to rotate freely relative to the pushing device. The low friction contact points also allow correction of lateral deviation of the bowling ball. The speed of the ball is determined by the speed at which the ball is being pushed. The Hoblit device has no mechanism for restraining or controlling the forward progress of the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,683 B1 to Howgate issued Apr. 15, 2003 for a Hockey Stick discloses a hockey stick having, in some embodiments, a C-shaped ball-handling member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,098 issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Quinn discloses a street hockey ball that comprises a smooth spherical shell with a hollow interior cavity that is partially filled with a liquid and prills (floating solids) to improve the stability of movement of the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,619 issued Sep. 18, 2001 to Mayer, II discloses a spherical ball for use in playing hockey. The ball is sized to contact the hockey stick at the same height as a cylindrical hockey puck thereby giving a “feel” that is similar to hitting a puck.